President Donald J. Trump has signed an Executive Order aimed at strengthening U.S. government efforts to protect American nationals from wrongful detention abroad. The measure, announced on September 5, 2025, gives the Secretary of State expanded authority to designate foreign countries as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention if they are found to be involved in or supporting the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens.
According to the White House, this designation allows for a range of actions against those countries. These include imposing sanctions, restricting travel and exports, and making nationals from designated countries inadmissible to the United States under existing laws. The Executive Order also enables similar measures against non-state actors that control significant territory and are involved in wrongful detentions.
The order provides a pathway for removing a country’s designation if it releases wrongfully detained Americans, implements changes in leadership or policy regarding such detentions, and offers credible assurances against future violations.
The administration described wrongful detentions as an increasing tactic used by foreign adversaries as leverage against the United States. "Under the Biden Administration, our adversaries learned that they could take Americans as bargaining chips and that little to nothing would be done about it," the statement said. "Biden’s weakness resulted in 24 more Americans taken captive than rescued in four years."
"Wrongful detentions violate the rule of law and exploit American citizens, with cases like Marc Fogel’s detention in Russia lasting over three years," according to the announcement. "This Order gives the Secretary of State the ability to leverage existing tools against those adversaries to protect Americans abroad and proactively combat this coercive tactic."
The White House emphasized President Trump’s commitment to returning all wrongfully detained Americans home. "President Trump has consistently advocated for a strong, America First foreign policy that deters adversaries from targeting U.S. nationals," the statement read.
Since his return to office, President Trump’s administration reports securing the release of 72 detained Americans abroad. Notable cases cited include Marc Fogel—an American teacher released from Russian detention; Ksenia Karelina—a ballet dancer freed after 14 months in a Russian penal colony; Keith Siegel—held by Hamas for 484 days; George Glezmann—detained by the Taliban for 836 days; Ryan Corbett and William McKenty—released on inauguration night; and Edan Alexander—a dual citizen held by Hamas for 584 days.